78th Flying Training Wing (World War II)
The 78th Flying Training Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Central Flying Training Command, and was disbanded on 30 June 1945 at the San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center, Texas. The squadron was a World War II Command and Control unit, its mission was to provide classification and preflight testing of aviation cadets. It was one of three such centers, the others being at Maxwell Field, Alabama and Santa Ana Army Air Base, California. There is no lineage between the current United States Air Force 78th Air Base Wing, established on 24 September 1948 at Hamilton Air Force Base, California, and this organization. History The mission of the wing was to provide both Classification and Preflight stage training to air cadets which had completed Training Command basic indoctrination training.Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas ASIN: B000NYX3PC * Classification Stage processed the cadet and issued him his equipment. This was the stage where it would be decided whether the cadet would train as a navigator, bombardier, or pilot. * Pre-Flight Stage taught the mechanics and physics of flight and required the cadets to pass courses in mathematics and the hard sciences. Then the cadets were taught to apply their knowledge practically by teaching them aeronautics, deflection shooting, and thinking in three dimensions. Once the cadet successfully completed the training at the center, they would be assigned to one of the AAF primary flight schools for initial flying training. Lineage * Established as 78th Flying Training Wing on 14 August 1943 : Activated on 25 August 1943 : Disbanded on 30 June 1945 78th Flying Training Wing, lineage and history document Air Force Historical Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama Assignments * Army Air Forces Central Flying Training Command, 25 August 1943 – 30 June 1945 Units * Army Air Forces Classification Center, 30 April 1942 – 1 May 1944 : 885th Classification Center Squadron, 4 July 1942 : 886th Classification Center Squadron, 4 July 1942 : 888th Classification Center Squadron, 4 July 1942 Squadrons re-designated as squadrons "E", "F", "G", 2535th AAFBU, 1 May 1944Mueller, Robert (1989). Volume 1: Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982. USAF Reference Series, Office of Air Force History, United States Air Force, Washington, D.C. ISBN 0-912799-53-6, ISBN 0-16-002261-4 * Army Air Forces Preflight School (Pilot), 30 April 1942 : Re-designated: 330th Training Group, 17 August 1942-1 May 1944 :: 881st Preflight Training Squadron, 4 July 1942 :: 882d Preflight Training Squadron, 4 July 1942 :: 883d Preflight Training Squadron, 4 July 1942 :: 884th Preflight Training Squadron, 4 July 1942 Squadrons re-designated as squadrons "A", "B", "C", "D", 2535th AAFBU, 1 May 1944 * 2535th Army Air Forces Base Unit, 1 May 1944 – 30 June 1945 Stations * San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center, Texas, 25 August 1943 – 30 June 1945 See also * Army Air Forces Training Command * Other Training Command Preflight/classification Units: : 74th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Eastern Flying Training Command : 81st Flying Training Wing (World War II) Western Flying Training Command * Other Central Flying Training Command Flight Training Wings: : 31st Flying Training Wing (World War II) Primary Flight Training : 32d Flying Training Wing (World War II) Basic Flight Training : 33d Flying Training Wing (World War II) Advanced Flight Training, Two Engine : 34th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Bombardier and Specialized Two/Four-Engine Training : 77th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Advanced Flight Training, Single Engine : 79th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Gunnery : 80th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Navigation and Glider References }}